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The article is not clear how this is
made up, and how the cost is arrived at, but it is nevertheless very important
for the Govt. to explain how this total cost works out to the Employer there,
and bears NO RELATION to what the Housemaid in fact earns in a month from her
employment.

Of course there are factors such as
airfares, and fees to the recruiting agents, and insurances, in case the maid
does not work out etc. but it is the responsibility of the GOSL (SL Government)
to clearly explain this to the employee so she understands how much the system
is using her as a commodity, and the possible discrepancy between the maid’s
perception of how she is treated and the employer believing that her duty has
cost far more than the monthly amount paid for her services.

It is quite clear that the Agencies and
intermediaries both here in Sri Lanka and in Saudi Arabia take a huge chunk of
change from this, and therefore exploit these workers to a level that is
unconscionable.

Whenever anyone is enticed to leave their
home in Sri Lanka and take up employment, they must be told the facts, as the
ignorance of our people are exploited. I know Agencies offer money upfront, and
sometimes make promises of payment as soon as they board the aircraft, to the next
of kin in Sri Lanka and those promises turn out to be nothing but hot air.

I was simply shocked when I saw this article
and I believe it is time that our Foreign Employment Agency thoroughly review this
on behalf of the Sri Lankan citizens it aims at protecting from Human Trafficking,
as there is no other word that can be used to describe this atrocious state of affairs.

I hate to say it but as this level of exploitation
is unseemly it may be an option to only send maids to Saudi with the Agency acting
as the means and use the money they gain from this to begin the long promised pension
scheme for our workers who return from overseas. It can easily be funded from this
fee.

I am not one to substitute Govt. for private
enterprise, but in cases where there is definite exploitation, I believe there is
NO other option. I am willing to bet that the housemaids are not informed about
the cost to the employer, so that they can understand when an employer complains
about the costs!!!